I put an entry form in for a competition on http://nz-interface.co.nz a magazine which comes out to school promoting good ICT skills and management in the classroom. The game I submitted was Quake III Arena. I use this as a tool in my classroom for when I am teaching year 12 programming about the societal implications of gaming addiction.
The following is a conversation that is happening between the magazine and myself, I am finding it interesting and its good having to put my thoughts down on paper (oh well on a keyboard).
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Interface's email
We had lots of entries and an amazing number of games were mentioned, with hardly any appearing twice. It seemed too good a resource to ignore – and I was wondering if you could help us?
I thought it would be good to introduce these games to other readers. Would you be willing to write a brief profile of the game you use? Nothing huge, 100-150 words or so covering:
the name of game and where it can be found (is there a trial/demo version?)
a brief description of the game and how it’s played
an outline of the educational values you see in the game – the reasons why you like it
I hope you can help and look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks and regards
INTERFACE
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oneteachersview response
Game I have used in the classroom – quake 3 demo, multiplayer,
1. Quake 3 Arena Demo
http://www.idsoftware.com/games/quake/quake3-arena/index.php?game_section=demo
2. First Person Shooter, keyboard/mouse. We mainly use the multiplayer function.
3. We use this in Year 12 programming class as a reward as well as a educational experience for my programming class, we run two servers and they combine as teams to achieve a common goal (teamwork). We also use it as part of social implications as part of the Technology Curriculum, as we look at addication to gaming to meet the Achievement Objectives.
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Interface's response
Thanks oneteachersview.
Just one question: You mention you use the game for Year 12 - what age range do you think it’s suitable for?
Cheers
INTERFACE
---------------------------------------------
oneteachersview response
That is really a good question, although most of these games have a rating of M or 18+, in New Zealand it came with a rating of R16. Most of my students have played Counter Strike (cannot install on school network due to licensing issues, Quake III arena comes as a demo which I am able) and other first person shooters and get heavily involved in MMORPG’s, in a way that it causes them to miss school, I let them experience a fps (first person shooter) and take notes of there actions throughout the lesson, this is taught in conjunction with gaming addiction unit that looks at the societal aspects outlined in the technology curriculum. I have questions and a discussion at the end of the lesson, which does give me some interesting thoughts about how they perceive the gaming world and gaming addiction; I would have had 2 students in the class who had not played quake III before.
I have attached some of the work that the students go through for this as well, see gaming addiction task.pdf (not in this blog...sorry).
Students work through the gaming addiction task which is marked as part of there Achievement Standard in Technology,
The video that is described in the task is First Person Shooter the video (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7530211269500857329)
Using this knowledge and understanding they then create an educational game on a teenage issue using some game development software called gamemaker http://www.gamemaker.nl as part of there Achievement Standard Technology 2.1 and Achievement Standard Technology 2.2 and Achievement Standard Technology 2.7 see www.ncea.govt.nz for more information.
Will wait for more
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
Monday, 20 August 2007
Discussion on ICT in the school
Summary of discussion questions
What do you think about how our students learn? Has it changed over the past years?
More use of IT, availability of information. Students don’t all learn the same/ variety of ways. Multitasking, applying knowledge. More opportunities to learn in different ways, more interactive learning, increase in ICT, student technology savvy ‘digital natives’, moving away from more traditional teaching methods, practical involvement, activities, group work, research on internet, interest, more student focused rather than teacher directed, teacher facilitator, multi tasking, more demanding, more options, use of graphic calculators, declining levels of student commitment to learning now we fear this will continue.
What changes will be needed over the next 5 years?
Use of Internet, games, reliable systems computers, advance workshops, scaffolding to solve problems, thinking processes, more computers, training for staff, accepting of new changes, more connection with students, more critical about sources, 24/7, better reliability, class room blinds, subject amalgamation, more access to technology. Some subjects more than others, some subjects not practical to use interactive material, both technological and traditional factors needed to be balanced, mindful of assessment style used. Has potential, exciting challenges ahead. What are teachers going to teach? Students still need to understand underlying principals, methods, basics, must be able to interpret/apply answers they have.
What changes have you already made to your teaching over the last 3 – 5years?
Availability of technology for everyone, more integration, acceptance to change, paradigm change, data projector, internet resources, becoming more open minded to new ways of learning/methods of learning, less paper work/ worksheets, more electronic, more group work, thinking about how we can incorporate into learning, Power point, data projector, ASTTLE, more group work, discussion, integrated curriculum.
What obstacles will be in the way of you making changes needed?
Money, time, space (room), access, choice, class size, availability of technology in the class room, confusion surrounding ICT, willingness to change, too much assessment, trust, old buildings, knowledge/training. Danger of using technology to teach in the same old way, time to change.
The handout information
Over that past few session we have talked about how our students are changing along with changes to the curriculum and assessment. This has meant changes to our teaching practice with the increasing use of ICT resources, (educational technologies).
We all have different ideas and interpretations of these issues and it would be good to discuss these.
What we would like is for you to mix up in groups of different departments and discuss the questions. Could you please appoint a scribe and record responses on the A3 paper.
What do you think about how our students learn? Has it changed over the past years?
More use of IT, availability of information. Students don’t all learn the same/ variety of ways. Multitasking, applying knowledge. More opportunities to learn in different ways, more interactive learning, increase in ICT, student technology savvy ‘digital natives’, moving away from more traditional teaching methods, practical involvement, activities, group work, research on internet, interest, more student focused rather than teacher directed, teacher facilitator, multi tasking, more demanding, more options, use of graphic calculators, declining levels of student commitment to learning now we fear this will continue.
What changes will be needed over the next 5 years?
Use of Internet, games, reliable systems computers, advance workshops, scaffolding to solve problems, thinking processes, more computers, training for staff, accepting of new changes, more connection with students, more critical about sources, 24/7, better reliability, class room blinds, subject amalgamation, more access to technology. Some subjects more than others, some subjects not practical to use interactive material, both technological and traditional factors needed to be balanced, mindful of assessment style used. Has potential, exciting challenges ahead. What are teachers going to teach? Students still need to understand underlying principals, methods, basics, must be able to interpret/apply answers they have.
What changes have you already made to your teaching over the last 3 – 5years?
Availability of technology for everyone, more integration, acceptance to change, paradigm change, data projector, internet resources, becoming more open minded to new ways of learning/methods of learning, less paper work/ worksheets, more electronic, more group work, thinking about how we can incorporate into learning, Power point, data projector, ASTTLE, more group work, discussion, integrated curriculum.
What obstacles will be in the way of you making changes needed?
Money, time, space (room), access, choice, class size, availability of technology in the class room, confusion surrounding ICT, willingness to change, too much assessment, trust, old buildings, knowledge/training. Danger of using technology to teach in the same old way, time to change.
The handout information
Over that past few session we have talked about how our students are changing along with changes to the curriculum and assessment. This has meant changes to our teaching practice with the increasing use of ICT resources, (educational technologies).
We all have different ideas and interpretations of these issues and it would be good to discuss these.
What we would like is for you to mix up in groups of different departments and discuss the questions. Could you please appoint a scribe and record responses on the A3 paper.
what a normal teacher must go through
I have been kicked out of my room for a day, the reason for this is that all the motherboards in my room need to be replaced, well the motherboards in three rooms at school need replaced. These were all the computers that were purchased this year.
So this could happen I was removed from my classroom and put into 3 other spaces for today. S5, B4, and E10.
S5 is a computer lab used by Technology and Science, its a pretty good room in its layout and design. Same with B4, these two rooms are not too bad. The only complaint is that they have Macromedia Flash Player 6. Why might this be important you may ask? Digital Learning Objects, one task I was going to get my programming students to do today was work through a DLO and see if they can apply the outcome to their own practice, pretty hard to do when you need at least Flash Player 7. Ok sight grumble there. I never realised that I would miss my classroom so much, I think I take it for granted now. It has been my room for the past five years, although I do "visit" the other computer labs in the school, but for the briefest times.
E10 is a social studies room, with no computers in it. Ok how am I going to teach without computers, well get some pieces of paper, some pens and away you go. I had my students designing GUI interfaces for a mp3 player, weather application, youtube interface and last but not least there virtual pet. Man, what other teachers must go through when there is no computers in front of their students. To gain there attention and make lessons interesting.
I look at some of the teachers that come into our rooms and watch the teacher sit at the front of the room working away while the students play games or watch videos, rather than do the work that they are supposed to do. It is a different way of teaching, they have a media centre in front of them, available to do most things and instant access to the world, IM, social networking. These are now becoming to much of a problem in school. The students are always on, what this means they are always online, wanting access to talk to other people, the cellphones, internet and other communication, they "need" to use it. Bebo to them is an addiction, they need to be on it, see who has given them the "luv", commented about there page, upload the latest images and fill in the blog entry for the day. We can only do so much in the way of locking down websites, it is up to the teacher to direct what the students do in class.
The latest however is another proxy bypass site, http://www.mmproxy.com, man all you have to do is do a search on Google with the term "mmproxy" and thousands of them pop up. It used to be poxy pass which was the popoular one, but this one seems to beat them all.
oneteachersview can do it!
One of the other things that happened to me today and it does start to annoy me, is that a staff member found a video that they wanted to include in a powerpoint presentation, now when they go to present this they will not have any internet access, how can she present her presentation?
She went and visited the technician who could not help her, she then went and visited the IT Manger who couldn't help her, who is also the video technician, they suggested oneteachersview, yes me. Now if anyone can do anything in the school it is oneteachersview. hang on, I get no public recognition of what I can do, have no administrator access, but when it comes down to "we cannot do it, see oneteachersview and he will be able to do it". I get frustrated. Of course I help the person, but it is becoming more frequent this type of we can't do it, see oneteachersview. Youtube is a wonderful resource, http://vixy.net allows you to convert youtube videos to other formats, select .mov and then using adobe premiere elements convert to windows media file. 20 minutes work, would have been quicker if I had my power cord with me - never do it on battery again!!
Bring on the ICT position in schools, come on Ministry of Education and PPTA help a fella out.
So this could happen I was removed from my classroom and put into 3 other spaces for today. S5, B4, and E10.
S5 is a computer lab used by Technology and Science, its a pretty good room in its layout and design. Same with B4, these two rooms are not too bad. The only complaint is that they have Macromedia Flash Player 6. Why might this be important you may ask? Digital Learning Objects, one task I was going to get my programming students to do today was work through a DLO and see if they can apply the outcome to their own practice, pretty hard to do when you need at least Flash Player 7. Ok sight grumble there. I never realised that I would miss my classroom so much, I think I take it for granted now. It has been my room for the past five years, although I do "visit" the other computer labs in the school, but for the briefest times.
E10 is a social studies room, with no computers in it. Ok how am I going to teach without computers, well get some pieces of paper, some pens and away you go. I had my students designing GUI interfaces for a mp3 player, weather application, youtube interface and last but not least there virtual pet. Man, what other teachers must go through when there is no computers in front of their students. To gain there attention and make lessons interesting.
I look at some of the teachers that come into our rooms and watch the teacher sit at the front of the room working away while the students play games or watch videos, rather than do the work that they are supposed to do. It is a different way of teaching, they have a media centre in front of them, available to do most things and instant access to the world, IM, social networking. These are now becoming to much of a problem in school. The students are always on, what this means they are always online, wanting access to talk to other people, the cellphones, internet and other communication, they "need" to use it. Bebo to them is an addiction, they need to be on it, see who has given them the "luv", commented about there page, upload the latest images and fill in the blog entry for the day. We can only do so much in the way of locking down websites, it is up to the teacher to direct what the students do in class.
The latest however is another proxy bypass site, http://www.mmproxy.com, man all you have to do is do a search on Google with the term "mmproxy" and thousands of them pop up. It used to be poxy pass which was the popoular one, but this one seems to beat them all.
oneteachersview can do it!
One of the other things that happened to me today and it does start to annoy me, is that a staff member found a video that they wanted to include in a powerpoint presentation, now when they go to present this they will not have any internet access, how can she present her presentation?
She went and visited the technician who could not help her, she then went and visited the IT Manger who couldn't help her, who is also the video technician, they suggested oneteachersview, yes me. Now if anyone can do anything in the school it is oneteachersview. hang on, I get no public recognition of what I can do, have no administrator access, but when it comes down to "we cannot do it, see oneteachersview and he will be able to do it". I get frustrated. Of course I help the person, but it is becoming more frequent this type of we can't do it, see oneteachersview. Youtube is a wonderful resource, http://vixy.net allows you to convert youtube videos to other formats, select .mov and then using adobe premiere elements convert to windows media file. 20 minutes work, would have been quicker if I had my power cord with me - never do it on battery again!!
Bring on the ICT position in schools, come on Ministry of Education and PPTA help a fella out.
Thursday, 16 August 2007
Books in the Wild - newspaper article
Teens are in the good books
By RANI TIMOTI - Western Leader | Friday, 20 July 2007
A new scheme aimed at getting more teenagers reading starts in Waitakere city this week.
The Books in the Wild programme is an innovative book-sharing initiative targeting year 9 and 10 students.
Popular teen book titles will be left at locations around the city, including schools and indoor public areas.
Students are being challenged to hunt them down, register online and make comments before leaving the books in similar places for others to pick up.
The 14-week trial programme is being coordinated by the Waitakere library and information service.
Spokeswoman Adrienne Hannan says it's difficult to get younger teenagers into libraries.
She hopes the programme makes the library more appealing to them.
"The modern library is more like the living room of the city, with computers, games, DVDs and CDs in addition to books, magazines, reference material and study guides," she says. "If we can raise that awareness through initiatives like this then we stand to create a new generation of library users."
Library staff have been promoting the scheme around schools with great success.
"About 200 kids at Rutherford College were trying to get into their library first to get the books," she says.
"It was a similar scene at Waitakere College."
The programme features prizes for students and schools. It will be extended to other age groups if it is successful.
By RANI TIMOTI - Western Leader | Friday, 20 July 2007
A new scheme aimed at getting more teenagers reading starts in Waitakere city this week.
The Books in the Wild programme is an innovative book-sharing initiative targeting year 9 and 10 students.
Popular teen book titles will be left at locations around the city, including schools and indoor public areas.
Students are being challenged to hunt them down, register online and make comments before leaving the books in similar places for others to pick up.
The 14-week trial programme is being coordinated by the Waitakere library and information service.
Spokeswoman Adrienne Hannan says it's difficult to get younger teenagers into libraries.
She hopes the programme makes the library more appealing to them.
"The modern library is more like the living room of the city, with computers, games, DVDs and CDs in addition to books, magazines, reference material and study guides," she says. "If we can raise that awareness through initiatives like this then we stand to create a new generation of library users."
Library staff have been promoting the scheme around schools with great success.
"About 200 kids at Rutherford College were trying to get into their library first to get the books," she says.
"It was a similar scene at Waitakere College."
The programme features prizes for students and schools. It will be extended to other age groups if it is successful.
Wednesday, 15 August 2007
Don't bluff a IT professional
Heya, here is the latest, I proved this morning that there was a fault with the proxies and that we were not using external wireless, and that there was a problem with speed, I love www.woosh.com/speedtest
Year 9 Proxy Server (wserver2.*) 400 students (xxx.yyy.zzz.bbb which is a .adsl.xtra.co.nz account)
Download Speed 3435 kbps(429.4KB/sec transfer speed)
Upload Speed 605 kbps (75.6KB/sec transfer speed)
Year 10,11,12,13 Proxy Server (wserver1.*) 1400 students (xxx.yyy.zzz.aaa wish is a .adsl.xtra.co.nz)
Download Speed 594 kbps(74.3KB/sec transfer speed)
Upload Speed 316 kbps (39.5KB/sec transfer speed)
As you can see this is without students accessing those servers, 7:33am this morning.
As I kept getting told there was no trouble, I had to prove it, now I get the following email from him. I have a migraine.
--------------------------------------------
From: Insert Name Here
Sent: Wednesday, 15 August 2007 10:42 a.m.
To: oneteachersview
Subject: student internet speed
oneteachersview:
Before I rang watchdog, I used a new router instead of the one from watchdog, and tested it. The speed was up to 2000kbps/500mbps (download/upload) even while many students were online at the same time.
Watchdog has confirmed that they were having speed problems last week. We didn’t use that account so I didn’t know that. They say it will be sorted by next week.
So now we are not using watchdog filtering. If there is a problem, we will move your classes to another account.
We encourage all staff to report any problem directly to us and then we will try to find out the reasons.
Thanks for your help
Regards
Insert Name here.
Year 9 Proxy Server (wserver2.*) 400 students (xxx.yyy.zzz.bbb which is a .adsl.xtra.co.nz account)
Download Speed 3435 kbps(429.4KB/sec transfer speed)
Upload Speed 605 kbps (75.6KB/sec transfer speed)
Year 10,11,12,13 Proxy Server (wserver1.*) 1400 students (xxx.yyy.zzz.aaa wish is a .adsl.xtra.co.nz)
Download Speed 594 kbps(74.3KB/sec transfer speed)
Upload Speed 316 kbps (39.5KB/sec transfer speed)
As you can see this is without students accessing those servers, 7:33am this morning.
As I kept getting told there was no trouble, I had to prove it, now I get the following email from him. I have a migraine.
--------------------------------------------
From: Insert Name Here
Sent: Wednesday, 15 August 2007 10:42 a.m.
To: oneteachersview
Subject: student internet speed
oneteachersview:
Before I rang watchdog, I used a new router instead of the one from watchdog, and tested it. The speed was up to 2000kbps/500mbps (download/upload) even while many students were online at the same time.
Watchdog has confirmed that they were having speed problems last week. We didn’t use that account so I didn’t know that. They say it will be sorted by next week.
So now we are not using watchdog filtering. If there is a problem, we will move your classes to another account.
We encourage all staff to report any problem directly to us and then we will try to find out the reasons.
Thanks for your help
Regards
Insert Name here.
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
One statement I get sick of
Noone else is complaining about it. <- this is a statement that annoys the hell out of me!!!
Who else teaches programming, who else has students with a gmail account as the school won't give them a email account, who else is using blogs for the students to keep details of their achievement standard. Who else is using .NET programming and game development! Frankly why would anyone else complain! maybe I should get my students to do research in network hacking and broadcast floods, connect up one powerful server with two 1Gig cards in it and tell them that they do not pass until the network stops working! That is how annoying that statement is to me!
This is a statement that our IT guy keeps telling me at work. No one else is complaining about it. Hell I complain if the students can't access the internet. Man if you are checking that the Internet works when you login to the server, of course it will always work. Check it from a classroom machine when you have a full class trying to access websites and none of them work. I will insert the image of what the students got tomorrow.
School changed proxies last week, and I have been having issues ever since, websites blocked, pages not loading. I put in a complaint and the response I get in an email is that the year 12 and 13 students that are having the problems is that they are still on the same proxy server, ummm, then why is it coming up wserver1.* where as before it was wserver2.*, I get sick of people who try and bluff there way through things, when the person at my end is clued up and fed up with the stupidity. Why change things half way through the term, just as everyone is trying to get through assessments. This is due to the over usage of last month.
I am a ICT teacher who is quite web intensive!!!
------------------------------------------
My email to the IT Manager, DP, Technician and HOD
Good afternoon
Since the introduction of the 2 proxies, Internet access has been worse than ever. WebPages and websites either do not load or are blocked. Until last week I have not had the issues that have plagued me this week.
Today period 6, I had students accessing www.blogger.com to keep a record of their game development. I had four students logging in and the page/website would not load even after 1 minute. This was carried out at 3:08pm, and again at 3:11. Some students no longer have internet access, not even www.nzherald.co.nz will load. This whole entire year 12 programming class during period 6 today either could not access page or could not access the internet or had problems accessing sites today.
Internet access has also been slow and troublesome for students during classes the rest of today as well, either slow or pages not loading. Period 5 with a year 9 class doing research for a teacher who had booked the room was causing problems, slow internet access and pages not loading.
This cannot continue!
Please revert back to the status quo!!!! Or don’t muck around with year 12 and 13 accounts as internet access for these students for me is vital.
----------------------------------------------------
Our IT Guys reply
I don’t know what you are saying! I have been watching the student internet all day. Year 10 – 13 students all are using the same proxy and same internet account, but only you had this complain. I also test aatest12 both can go to http://www.nzherald.co.nz and http://www.blogger.com. Of course, http://www.blogger.com seems a little slow, but that is their problem. Don’t you think there were some other reasons?
We started to use two proxies from last Monday, and all users were sharing one internet account only, on last Friday, all students were using wireless internet. From this week, only 4 year levels students share a Xtra account, the only different is monitored by Watchdog this week, but wasn’t last week.
---------------------------------------------------
Confused as this email con fuddles me, 4 level students are using wireless accounts? Hand on, you say in your email that they are using the same server and same account!
To me, year 12 and 13 should be on the adsl accounts and year 9, 10, and 11 should be on the wireless.
Friday, I am glad I wasn't at school on Friday...
----------------------------------------------------
Comment
from a previous email
If they re-login this morning after Period 2, Year 9 students should go to wserver2, all other students should go to wserver1.
wserver2.* is the original proxy server
wserver1.* is the new proxy server
+ we also have another proxy for staff.
I am getting confused, he says one thing and writes another that contradicts the previous email.
----------------------------------------------------
IT Manager email from last week to the DP forwarded onto me.
Missed catching up Thursday afternoon, to let you know where we are up to with logging student internet use. With the new proxy with y10 - 13 are on, we can extract the user history into excel though a bit fiddly, but will work on stream lining it so you can get direct access. If you need details of where a specific student has been we can do it, just ask Insert Name here to check with me and I will check the routine with him. The usual logs should also be available but I think there is some problems at present Insert Name Here is working on.
------------------------------------------------------
IT Manager
oneteachersview needs to see Insert Name here or Insert Name here and they can sort out the problem. If he is away he could tell his students to go to student reception and ask for Insert Name Here or Insert Name here if there is a problem. It could be just a site Insert Name here has block for high internet use and can be easily unblock in a minute. I will get Insert Name here to get oneteachersview to list sites he uses so we don't block them. We are hoping to have another internet link soon we don't have to worry so much about consumption in the future.
If you see Insert Name Here remind him to remind staff that they can send students to student reception so Insert Name Here or Insert Name Here can fix problems immediately so to reduce interruption.
-----------------------------------------------------
Who else teaches programming, who else has students with a gmail account as the school won't give them a email account, who else is using blogs for the students to keep details of their achievement standard. Who else is using .NET programming and game development! Frankly why would anyone else complain! maybe I should get my students to do research in network hacking and broadcast floods, connect up one powerful server with two 1Gig cards in it and tell them that they do not pass until the network stops working! That is how annoying that statement is to me!
This is a statement that our IT guy keeps telling me at work. No one else is complaining about it. Hell I complain if the students can't access the internet. Man if you are checking that the Internet works when you login to the server, of course it will always work. Check it from a classroom machine when you have a full class trying to access websites and none of them work. I will insert the image of what the students got tomorrow.
School changed proxies last week, and I have been having issues ever since, websites blocked, pages not loading. I put in a complaint and the response I get in an email is that the year 12 and 13 students that are having the problems is that they are still on the same proxy server, ummm, then why is it coming up wserver1.* where as before it was wserver2.*, I get sick of people who try and bluff there way through things, when the person at my end is clued up and fed up with the stupidity. Why change things half way through the term, just as everyone is trying to get through assessments. This is due to the over usage of last month.
I am a ICT teacher who is quite web intensive!!!
------------------------------------------
My email to the IT Manager, DP, Technician and HOD
Good afternoon
Since the introduction of the 2 proxies, Internet access has been worse than ever. WebPages and websites either do not load or are blocked. Until last week I have not had the issues that have plagued me this week.
Today period 6, I had students accessing www.blogger.com to keep a record of their game development. I had four students logging in and the page/website would not load even after 1 minute. This was carried out at 3:08pm, and again at 3:11. Some students no longer have internet access, not even www.nzherald.co.nz will load. This whole entire year 12 programming class during period 6 today either could not access page or could not access the internet or had problems accessing sites today.
Internet access has also been slow and troublesome for students during classes the rest of today as well, either slow or pages not loading. Period 5 with a year 9 class doing research for a teacher who had booked the room was causing problems, slow internet access and pages not loading.
This cannot continue!
Please revert back to the status quo!!!! Or don’t muck around with year 12 and 13 accounts as internet access for these students for me is vital.
----------------------------------------------------
Our IT Guys reply
I don’t know what you are saying! I have been watching the student internet all day. Year 10 – 13 students all are using the same proxy and same internet account, but only you had this complain. I also test aatest12 both can go to http://www.nzherald.co.nz and http://www.blogger.com. Of course, http://www.blogger.com seems a little slow, but that is their problem. Don’t you think there were some other reasons?
We started to use two proxies from last Monday, and all users were sharing one internet account only, on last Friday, all students were using wireless internet. From this week, only 4 year levels students share a Xtra account, the only different is monitored by Watchdog this week, but wasn’t last week.
---------------------------------------------------
Confused as this email con fuddles me, 4 level students are using wireless accounts? Hand on, you say in your email that they are using the same server and same account!
To me, year 12 and 13 should be on the adsl accounts and year 9, 10, and 11 should be on the wireless.
Friday, I am glad I wasn't at school on Friday...
----------------------------------------------------
Comment
from a previous email
If they re-login this morning after Period 2, Year 9 students should go to wserver2, all other students should go to wserver1.
wserver2.* is the original proxy server
wserver1.* is the new proxy server
+ we also have another proxy for staff.
I am getting confused, he says one thing and writes another that contradicts the previous email.
----------------------------------------------------
IT Manager email from last week to the DP forwarded onto me.
Missed catching up Thursday afternoon, to let you know where we are up to with logging student internet use. With the new proxy with y10 - 13 are on, we can extract the user history into excel though a bit fiddly, but will work on stream lining it so you can get direct access. If you need details of where a specific student has been we can do it, just ask Insert Name here to check with me and I will check the routine with him. The usual logs should also be available but I think there is some problems at present Insert Name Here is working on.
------------------------------------------------------
IT Manager
oneteachersview needs to see Insert Name here or Insert Name here and they can sort out the problem. If he is away he could tell his students to go to student reception and ask for Insert Name Here or Insert Name here if there is a problem. It could be just a site Insert Name here has block for high internet use and can be easily unblock in a minute. I will get Insert Name here to get oneteachersview to list sites he uses so we don't block them. We are hoping to have another internet link soon we don't have to worry so much about consumption in the future.
If you see Insert Name Here remind him to remind staff that they can send students to student reception so Insert Name Here or Insert Name Here can fix problems immediately so to reduce interruption.
-----------------------------------------------------
Monday, 13 August 2007
Fight - Lost Phone
While out on Duty today, there was a scuffle with two students, this lead to more students becoming involved, me falling over in the mud and losing my cellphone. Wonder if karma is on my side, or not.
Note: Thank you to the student who found the cellphone and handed it into the senior leadership team.
Note: Thank you to the student who found the cellphone and handed it into the senior leadership team.
Sunday, 12 August 2007
Internet Usage
I thought I would write about one of my experiences this year, the school switched to broadband adsl access away from wired country at the beginning of the term 3. Now we were doing around 32 Gig a month through the student proxy. Since the change over we hit 52 Gig, that is were our cap is at. And we still had a week and a bit to go to be able to get access to the new data. We do the normal thing, block all the social networking sites, try and block proxy sites through watchdog our internet filter provider. Also block is youtube. So how did the students go over the cap is such a large way.
My guess is stupidity.
Someone got up at the staff meeting and announced that we now had faster Internet access, come on, why would you do this... We have staff members at our school that would tell the students this, what will students do, they will work out a way around it and to use it. I have a cap of 10 Gig at home, and I use all of it each month. Someone suggested that it was the game sites that cause this problem, yes they do cause some of the problem, but not approx 10 Gig of flash games, there is something else that has caused this.
We keep logs of students access, however these are not easily accessible. but we do have a proxy log of traffic, websites, and traffic from users that we look at. However Monthly usage wasn't looked at, partly because its at the bottom of the page. Using this list we looked at users that were above 200 Meg for the month, I know that this is kind of low, but when you average out 1800 users it is rather a lot, 200 Meg and above is the at the top 19 users for the month. The top user reached 1.4 Gig for the month. How is this possible.
I was in the Deputy Principals office 3 times in one day because of this, as I seem to be the fountain of knowledge. It is difficult due to the fact the school does not have a adequate network use policy. It is way out of date and does not bring into account anything that it in todays schooling. I have been quoting the current network use policy since joining the school five years ago. The last update was in February 2004. We cannot do anything about these students this month, but the warning has gone out, be in the top 15-20 in August and be prepared to answer some serious questions. It cannot just be games, it has to be something else.
Most of the top users are in the ESOL department, where they spend most of there time at school. Internet usage is mainly mp3's and social networking sites. But what we need up there is education, unfortunately we do not have the resources in the first language for these students.
Other students that are in the top usage are the design students. how can this be, research, or just mucking around?
There are more questions to ask, but we will see what the month usage holds.
My guess is stupidity.
Someone got up at the staff meeting and announced that we now had faster Internet access, come on, why would you do this... We have staff members at our school that would tell the students this, what will students do, they will work out a way around it and to use it. I have a cap of 10 Gig at home, and I use all of it each month. Someone suggested that it was the game sites that cause this problem, yes they do cause some of the problem, but not approx 10 Gig of flash games, there is something else that has caused this.
We keep logs of students access, however these are not easily accessible. but we do have a proxy log of traffic, websites, and traffic from users that we look at. However Monthly usage wasn't looked at, partly because its at the bottom of the page. Using this list we looked at users that were above 200 Meg for the month, I know that this is kind of low, but when you average out 1800 users it is rather a lot, 200 Meg and above is the at the top 19 users for the month. The top user reached 1.4 Gig for the month. How is this possible.
I was in the Deputy Principals office 3 times in one day because of this, as I seem to be the fountain of knowledge. It is difficult due to the fact the school does not have a adequate network use policy. It is way out of date and does not bring into account anything that it in todays schooling. I have been quoting the current network use policy since joining the school five years ago. The last update was in February 2004. We cannot do anything about these students this month, but the warning has gone out, be in the top 15-20 in August and be prepared to answer some serious questions. It cannot just be games, it has to be something else.
Most of the top users are in the ESOL department, where they spend most of there time at school. Internet usage is mainly mp3's and social networking sites. But what we need up there is education, unfortunately we do not have the resources in the first language for these students.
Other students that are in the top usage are the design students. how can this be, research, or just mucking around?
There are more questions to ask, but we will see what the month usage holds.
Thursday, 9 August 2007
ICTPD Thursday
Two documents were talked about
New Curriculum Document
Enabling the 21st century learner
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/nzcurriculum/schl-curriculum-design/enriched-orewa-college_e.php
Clip showing the teaching and learning taking place at Orewa High School, now a Year 7 to Year 13
New Curriculum Document
Enabling the 21st century learner
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/nzcurriculum/schl-curriculum-design/enriched-orewa-college_e.php
Clip showing the teaching and learning taking place at Orewa High School, now a Year 7 to Year 13
Wednesday, 8 August 2007
Wild on Books Part 2
Wild on Books - Day Two
Having responded to the email from yesterday that contained the podcast, I have now had another from my friendly librarian;
Background One of the problems we have is getting students to read books, our school has a goal that each student should get 2.4 books out throughout the year. we have approx 1800 students, half boys, and half girls. The boys get out less books than girls. The Library doesn't issue really until half way through term one when they get their ID cards, and stop issuing 5 weeks out from the end of school due to stock take and to make sure all the books issued that year have been returned. We have more than 10,000 in the library.
So each year we try to get over 4,320 books issued to students to meet the goal, a normal week we may have between 100 and 200 books, through the 7 weeks of the reading competition we had around 350 and over 400 books taken out. I think we had over 2,000 books taken out in that period.
This "books in the wild" might help as well, it gets students using the Internet for something other than playing games as well as helping our schools reading and writing level.
Plan and Design
Some things to think about when designing the database
We need to record or have a record of each student, these can be exported from our Student Management System, why not have them set a password and username, well the students don't have email accounts to be able to have there forgotten password emailed back to them, I have thought about using Active Directory, but don't really have the access to the main school web server. We will use one of the Servers that I have setup at the school, will probably setup one of the ict servers with this, it does need to have a bit of grunt behind it, as there may be up to 30 students accessing it at once, maybe more. I will use there login codes that they have at the moment, and the password as there date of birth DD/MM/YY.
Next is looking at the books that we will be using, what details should be available for the students, if they enter a code the book should come up, or does this need to be there? Or should this be a double check to make sure that the student has found the right book?
Students registering the book?
Students entering the information once logged in, (log out?) code of the book, details of the book? I think I need to be able to access the Waitakere system (Books in the Wild) for more of this information?
Student Table
StudentID Number this could be associated with there school id - unique identifier
Surname
FirstName
SchoolLevel
FormClass
Username? This is not needed as they will login using there stduent ID Number 4 digit number. This means the students need to have their ID card present with them, even to get a book out.
Password = Date of Birth, too difficult to link in with active directory.
Ethnicity = for statistical purposes?
Gender = for statistical purposes?
Books
Barcode -unique identifier
SpecialCode mix of alpha and numeric characters
Title
Author
Description
ImageLocation
Entry
EntryNumber ID
StudentID
Books.SpecialCode
Excitement score
Date and Time Issued
Photo Idea, setup an email address for students to email there photo to...
Design of the site, it has to be interesting and grab the students attention. Should it be a book? Or simple pages? Multimedia? Images? Somethings to think about for my next blog entry.
Having responded to the email from yesterday that contained the podcast, I have now had another from my friendly librarian;
NO HURRY! I was just wondering if it is 'physically' (electronically?) possible so we could think about giving it a go. What do you think about next term? We don't have to have 160 books - we could reduce to 5 copies of 10 - 12 titles 'released' into the wilds of the school Library, with focus on Yrs 9 & 10.
Thanks for being so positive,
Background One of the problems we have is getting students to read books, our school has a goal that each student should get 2.4 books out throughout the year. we have approx 1800 students, half boys, and half girls. The boys get out less books than girls. The Library doesn't issue really until half way through term one when they get their ID cards, and stop issuing 5 weeks out from the end of school due to stock take and to make sure all the books issued that year have been returned. We have more than 10,000 in the library.
So each year we try to get over 4,320 books issued to students to meet the goal, a normal week we may have between 100 and 200 books, through the 7 weeks of the reading competition we had around 350 and over 400 books taken out. I think we had over 2,000 books taken out in that period.
This "books in the wild" might help as well, it gets students using the Internet for something other than playing games as well as helping our schools reading and writing level.
Plan and Design
Some things to think about when designing the database
We need to record or have a record of each student, these can be exported from our Student Management System, why not have them set a password and username, well the students don't have email accounts to be able to have there forgotten password emailed back to them, I have thought about using Active Directory, but don't really have the access to the main school web server. We will use one of the Servers that I have setup at the school, will probably setup one of the ict servers with this, it does need to have a bit of grunt behind it, as there may be up to 30 students accessing it at once, maybe more. I will use there login codes that they have at the moment, and the password as there date of birth DD/MM/YY.
Next is looking at the books that we will be using, what details should be available for the students, if they enter a code the book should come up, or does this need to be there? Or should this be a double check to make sure that the student has found the right book?
Students registering the book?
Students entering the information once logged in, (log out?) code of the book, details of the book? I think I need to be able to access the Waitakere system (Books in the Wild) for more of this information?
Student Table
StudentID Number this could be associated with there school id - unique identifier
Surname
FirstName
SchoolLevel
FormClass
Username? This is not needed as they will login using there stduent ID Number 4 digit number. This means the students need to have their ID card present with them, even to get a book out.
Password = Date of Birth, too difficult to link in with active directory.
Ethnicity = for statistical purposes?
Gender = for statistical purposes?
Books
Barcode -unique identifier
SpecialCode mix of alpha and numeric characters
Title
Author
Description
ImageLocation
Entry
EntryNumber ID
StudentID
Books.SpecialCode
Excitement score
Date and Time Issued
Photo Idea, setup an email address for students to email there photo to...
Design of the site, it has to be interesting and grab the students attention. Should it be a book? Or simple pages? Multimedia? Images? Somethings to think about for my next blog entry.
Tuesday, 7 August 2007
Wild on books
I was away on my field trip today and when I returned to school I had an email sitting there from the Teacher in Charge of the Library about a teenage initiative thats is being carried out in West Auckland secondary schools.
200 books could be a bit of a large task, however creating the stickers to go inside the book will be easy, and creating the codes simple.
The website however? Do we make it only available inside the school or available outside the school.
What is involved in the website when students register a book? It sounds like we may have to do a trip to the west of Auckland for a bit of investigation.
http://www.booksinthewild.co.nz is the website that the Waitakere Library have created, and Manukau Library also have an idea of point allocated to books with there idea of Manix http://www.manukau-libraries.govt.nz/whatwehave/Teens/teenview.htm
There is a huge difference between these sites, however I think there is also a larger issue at stake, they have a great idea, but not the interface to engage the users, the manix pages are basic webpages, they need to employ someone who has an idea on how to create good websites. The books in the wild website has some good graphics but the overall design lets it down, students expect more these days.
More information about the "books in the wild"
Ground-breaking literacy programme for Waitakere teens
copied from http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/WhaHap/nm/mr/jul07.asp#bitw
-------------------------------Now I have been busy looking at this and working on an idea for the use of this at school, however it will involve a little bit of work, the pilot and idea were originally designed by Waitakere Library and we will look at using some of there ideas. This will be done in conjunction with the Librarian at school.
Can we do this?
Thanks so much Angela for drawing our attention to this. The link is http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20070803-0933-Wild_Books-064.mp3
and is worth listening to. Congratulations to Waitakere library team for coming up with this brilliant idea. The whole interview is very thought provoking.
-------------------------------
200 books could be a bit of a large task, however creating the stickers to go inside the book will be easy, and creating the codes simple.
The website however? Do we make it only available inside the school or available outside the school.
What is involved in the website when students register a book? It sounds like we may have to do a trip to the west of Auckland for a bit of investigation.
http://www.booksinthewild.co.nz is the website that the Waitakere Library have created, and Manukau Library also have an idea of point allocated to books with there idea of Manix http://www.manukau-libraries.govt.nz/whatwehave/Teens/teenview.htm
There is a huge difference between these sites, however I think there is also a larger issue at stake, they have a great idea, but not the interface to engage the users, the manix pages are basic webpages, they need to employ someone who has an idea on how to create good websites. The books in the wild website has some good graphics but the overall design lets it down, students expect more these days.
More information about the "books in the wild"
Ground-breaking literacy programme for Waitakere teens
copied from http://www.waitakere.govt.nz/WhaHap/nm/mr/jul07.asp#bitw
The wild west is set to take on a new twist with the launch of a ground-breaking teen literacy programme in Waitakere City.
In a New Zealand first, the city's Year 9 and 10 students will have the opportunity to participate in 'Books in the Wild' - an innovative book-sharing initiative involving the release of popular teen titles into "wild" places around the city.
Waitakere Library & Information Services is kicking off the trial programme with the launch of eight specially selected teen titles into the city's secondary schools on the week of July 16th. The challenge for the students is to hunt down and read the titles, register them online and release them back into the wild for others to read.
The titles include contemporary and classic novels, as well as non-fiction, and half are written by New Zealand authors.
There are a number of great prizes up for grabs for both individuals and participating schools, including a Playstation Portable and games, 30Gb iPod, Vodafone phones and airtime and Whitcoulls vouchers, as well as virtual library vouchers that can be redeemed in Waitakere City libraries for games, DVDs and CDs. Each book contains a unique identifying number, which allows the holder to register online, comment on the book they've found and enter the prize draw.
A digital photo competition is also being run alongside the programme - the challenge being to take a photo of one of the eight books in a 'wild' place. The winning photograph will be made into a new library card for 2008.
Children's and Teens' Services Librarian, Adrienne Hannan, says it is hoped that the Books in the Wild initiative will inspire the hard-to-reach teen market to become more engaged in literature.
"If we are going to grow the future capability of Waitakere City, we need initiatives like this that will help to grow its levels of literacy," she says.
"It also helps them to see that the library is not just about print resources any more. The modern library is more like the 'living room' of the city, with computers, games, DVDs and CDs in addition to books, magazines, reference material and study guides. If we can raise that awareness through initiatives like this, particularly with young people who may not have been brought up as library users or given books in the home, then we stand to create a new generation of library users."
If the 14-week trial is successful, Waitakere Library and Information Services will look to extend the programme to other age groups.
For more information, visit www.booksinthewild.co.nz
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Reflective Practice
I was reading another persons blog today and found one of the statements really interesting.
Reflective practice, through my teaching training and going out to schools on practice I used to keep a dairy of my time at the schools, I would write this up on my $500 laptop and email it off to my father each night. I really didn't care if he read it or not, it was something I was going to do. It was also part of my assessment while at college. Writing in the diary become something of second nature, I was writing about the classes I attended, taught and observed, how the students reacted with one teacher and then another. What worked well, and what didn't and how when the fire alarm rang we just sat there in class and carried on working. (I loved that day) No none really had any idea on what to do, as the fire alarm went off three times during the lesson. And to watch the next morning briefing when the SLT decided that a continuous ringing bell should be used as the alarm and to forgot what they had originally been told. But going back to my point, I enjoyed writing the journal and still have it in my area in the resource room for when I am having a really bad day, It is interesting to see what was happening in my life 6 years ago.
I started to keep a online diary when I started here at the school I am in, It was on a server at home in a home made PHP/mySQL database. The server is still somewhere and I should rip all the data off it one day and bring it in or incorporate it into my current blog through the use of the Post Options function.
Newer technologies have taken over and the blog is the new form, if you have read any of my previous entries it mainly focussed on the incompetence of the SLT at the school and how some of them blatantly show off that they do very little at all.
But one thing I am finding out now through using the blogs it that I am focussing on my teaching and professional development. I am finding these really useful for taking notes as well as being able to provide feedback to the department at the department meetings.
"Often in our classrooms we get so busy planning for and managing the lessons we do with our students that we don’t allow ourselves time to reflect...Taking the time to reflect critically on the things we are doing in our classrooms is perhaps the most effective thing we can do to ensure that what we are doing is having the desired outcomes, and is changing our practice in the ways we want it to" (Wenmoth, 2007).
Reflective practice, through my teaching training and going out to schools on practice I used to keep a dairy of my time at the schools, I would write this up on my $500 laptop and email it off to my father each night. I really didn't care if he read it or not, it was something I was going to do. It was also part of my assessment while at college. Writing in the diary become something of second nature, I was writing about the classes I attended, taught and observed, how the students reacted with one teacher and then another. What worked well, and what didn't and how when the fire alarm rang we just sat there in class and carried on working. (I loved that day) No none really had any idea on what to do, as the fire alarm went off three times during the lesson. And to watch the next morning briefing when the SLT decided that a continuous ringing bell should be used as the alarm and to forgot what they had originally been told. But going back to my point, I enjoyed writing the journal and still have it in my area in the resource room for when I am having a really bad day, It is interesting to see what was happening in my life 6 years ago.
I started to keep a online diary when I started here at the school I am in, It was on a server at home in a home made PHP/mySQL database. The server is still somewhere and I should rip all the data off it one day and bring it in or incorporate it into my current blog through the use of the Post Options function.
Newer technologies have taken over and the blog is the new form, if you have read any of my previous entries it mainly focussed on the incompetence of the SLT at the school and how some of them blatantly show off that they do very little at all.
But one thing I am finding out now through using the blogs it that I am focussing on my teaching and professional development. I am finding these really useful for taking notes as well as being able to provide feedback to the department at the department meetings.
Monday, 30 July 2007
bit of a break
It has been too busy lately to have time to write my blog, in losing my Saturday afternoons helping look after the 1st XV rugby boys and then on Sunday go mountain biking. I have enjoyed the challenge, but find the weekends go by very quickly and then don't have enough energy for the week, around Wednesday I will be tired and irritable. Only a couple more to go, however Fridays will be out as I look towards PD and a field trip. Plus a Paid Union Meeting, where is all the time going.
Monday, 23 July 2007
Form Class
It seems that my students miss me, well the ones in my form class do?
It has been almost a week that I have not attended form class, a fact that I am not proud of. Wednesday we had a meeting during our form time on the senior curriculum guide, thursday was a meeting with the principal, friday I was at another intermediate school looking at how they use ICT to facilate learning. and today had Profesional Development down at MIT. I feel like wlaking in tomorrow and saying to them, "Well did you miss me, because thats how I feel when you are not at school for a long period of time". It should be rather good to watch there reaction.
It has been almost a week that I have not attended form class, a fact that I am not proud of. Wednesday we had a meeting during our form time on the senior curriculum guide, thursday was a meeting with the principal, friday I was at another intermediate school looking at how they use ICT to facilate learning. and today had Profesional Development down at MIT. I feel like wlaking in tomorrow and saying to them, "Well did you miss me, because thats how I feel when you are not at school for a long period of time". It should be rather good to watch there reaction.
Thursday, 19 July 2007
Marc Prensky
The author of digital immigrant, digital native which I talk about earlier in my blog. This was the topics of todays Professional Reading Professional Development. We had a presentation by the principal about the slide show the marc prensky presented at the international principals conference earlier this year in Auckland. Now the reading part was reading what was on the powerpoint. The discussion grew throughout the topics on the screen. Some of it was light hearted, others were more thoughtful and though provoking.
Are we made to feel that we are out of date with the technology and not keeping up with the play.
Who used email in the last 24 hours, why, because todays digital native either IM's or TXT's, I like when he asked this question as I had just emailed a student back about the homework he submitted last night. But i was made to feel that I was out of date with todays technology. Maybe I should have been doing it through a blog or wiki. Hey, I have only just got my students creating a blog and gmail account so they can do this as part of there assessment. You cannot change the world in one day.
Also when they started talking about TXTing and using the mobile phone in class, a few topics came into my head, credit in the way of who pays for this, because tone comment I hear from the students quite regularly is that "I don't have any credit on my phone", The teachers credit being used, so I asked, "Are you looking at putting in a server for this so the txt messages can be sent and received a little cost", ok this is over the head of the principal. What about the students who do not have a cell phone, after a bit of discussion and things, I found that three of my Year 13 students don't have a cell phone, they don't need one.
Ok, interesting.
How can todays technology be used, hell I would like to see students with a email account at school, it would make dealing with somethings a little bit easier, no gmail account for one reason!
Also what about using the videos and images that students have on there cellphones, teachers are taking there cellphones out on duty and taking PXTs of disruptive behavior and students giving false names. Students don't know how to deal with it, how are teachers to cope?
How about increasing the students network storage space at school from 30Meg to at least 100 Meg, it would help with todays media and content rich environment.
That will do with todays rant and rave. Tune in tomorrow when I visit a intermediate school to see what they are doing with ICT and why are secondary schools teaching microsoft word basics.
Are we made to feel that we are out of date with the technology and not keeping up with the play.
Who used email in the last 24 hours, why, because todays digital native either IM's or TXT's, I like when he asked this question as I had just emailed a student back about the homework he submitted last night. But i was made to feel that I was out of date with todays technology. Maybe I should have been doing it through a blog or wiki. Hey, I have only just got my students creating a blog and gmail account so they can do this as part of there assessment. You cannot change the world in one day.
Also when they started talking about TXTing and using the mobile phone in class, a few topics came into my head, credit in the way of who pays for this, because tone comment I hear from the students quite regularly is that "I don't have any credit on my phone", The teachers credit being used, so I asked, "Are you looking at putting in a server for this so the txt messages can be sent and received a little cost", ok this is over the head of the principal. What about the students who do not have a cell phone, after a bit of discussion and things, I found that three of my Year 13 students don't have a cell phone, they don't need one.
Ok, interesting.
How can todays technology be used, hell I would like to see students with a email account at school, it would make dealing with somethings a little bit easier, no gmail account for one reason!
Also what about using the videos and images that students have on there cellphones, teachers are taking there cellphones out on duty and taking PXTs of disruptive behavior and students giving false names. Students don't know how to deal with it, how are teachers to cope?
How about increasing the students network storage space at school from 30Meg to at least 100 Meg, it would help with todays media and content rich environment.
That will do with todays rant and rave. Tune in tomorrow when I visit a intermediate school to see what they are doing with ICT and why are secondary schools teaching microsoft word basics.
Tuesday, 17 July 2007
The next thing - Students Voice continued
This is something continued from a previous post of the students voice.
The next big thing is to organize, tag, and link information to a specific location. Think of the last time you were at a national park. It’s a very good possibility that the only information you had about the park fit on a tri-fold paper that you picked up at the visitor’s station. In the information age, how is this acceptable?
Instead, imagine visiting the park where hundreds of visitors have linked information to specific locations. You have the architect of the visitor’s center who tells you the history of the building. As you move around the park you access information provided by geologists, geographers, botanists, biologists, environmental scientists, conservationists, hiking enthusiasts, bikers, etc. etc. etc. The information is useful because it’s relevant to the location. And it becomes manageable in the same way that the 10s of millions of pictures on flickr have become manageable, through tagging.
If I’m driving down a dirt road, I can access the Internet, enter in the keywords, “eat, roast beef sandwich’. The next time I pass within 5 miles of an Arby’s, my device let’s me know. Or if I have my mountain bike on the back of my car, I search for the keywords ‘mountain bike trails’. Every time I come within a few miles of a trail, my GPS device alerts me.
We’re beginning to see the first threads of this next big idea. Pictures and Wikipedia articles are now linked to Google Earth. You can access information about a location, but it’s still at your desk. The real revolution will come when this information can be accessed completely and easily from a mobile device, while you’re at that location.
Today we have access to an unfathomable amount of information. Web 2.0 has helped us begin to organize and make sense of that information. Tying information to a location is the next step and will literally open up a whole new world.
Here’s hoping the next iPhone has a built-in GPS.
http://www.techconsumer.com/2007/07/16/the-next-big-thing-why-web-20-isnt-enough/
The next big thing is to organize, tag, and link information to a specific location. Think of the last time you were at a national park. It’s a very good possibility that the only information you had about the park fit on a tri-fold paper that you picked up at the visitor’s station. In the information age, how is this acceptable?
Instead, imagine visiting the park where hundreds of visitors have linked information to specific locations. You have the architect of the visitor’s center who tells you the history of the building. As you move around the park you access information provided by geologists, geographers, botanists, biologists, environmental scientists, conservationists, hiking enthusiasts, bikers, etc. etc. etc. The information is useful because it’s relevant to the location. And it becomes manageable in the same way that the 10s of millions of pictures on flickr have become manageable, through tagging.
If I’m driving down a dirt road, I can access the Internet, enter in the keywords, “eat, roast beef sandwich’. The next time I pass within 5 miles of an Arby’s, my device let’s me know. Or if I have my mountain bike on the back of my car, I search for the keywords ‘mountain bike trails’. Every time I come within a few miles of a trail, my GPS device alerts me.
We’re beginning to see the first threads of this next big idea. Pictures and Wikipedia articles are now linked to Google Earth. You can access information about a location, but it’s still at your desk. The real revolution will come when this information can be accessed completely and easily from a mobile device, while you’re at that location.
Today we have access to an unfathomable amount of information. Web 2.0 has helped us begin to organize and make sense of that information. Tying information to a location is the next step and will literally open up a whole new world.
Here’s hoping the next iPhone has a built-in GPS.
http://www.techconsumer.com/2007/07/16/the-next-big-thing-why-web-20-isnt-enough/
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Game Development
This has been included in my blog for a particular reason, I want to include it, to be able to show my students that the language that they use in their games must not be offensive. Yes, there are the top 10 offensive words that shouldn't be used, but what others could be taken into the same context.
Some things to watch out for if you are looking at developing in other markets
Another day, another Nintendo recall
You may remember the DS game that was recalled a few weeks back because of an 'offensive' name that it tagged players who got a score of 0, well it seems that Nintendo really like the word 'spastic' and have included it in the not-so-good Wii game, Mario Party 8. As such, the game has also been recalled.
This is getting a tad out of hand, recalling games because of one word. But that's censorship for you.
Press Release:
The above game was launched in the UK today. Unfortunately we have discovered that a small number of games contain the wrong version of the disk due to an assembly error. We have therefore decided to recall all copies of the game from UK retailers so that this mistake can be corrected.
We will re-launch Mario Party 8 in the UK as soon as possible and will announce a new launch date shortly. We very much regret any inconvenience caused.
Source: http://blog.hahauk.com/2007/07/another-day-another-nintendo-recall.html
DS Mind game pulled
Ubisoft's Brain Training clone, Mind Quiz, has been pulled from the shelves of stores nationwide, as it contains a naughty word that may offend some people. Yes lets see if you notice the word in the image below.
source: http://blog.hahauk.com/2007/06/ds-brain-game-pulled.html
Some things to watch out for if you are looking at developing in other markets
Another day, another Nintendo recall
You may remember the DS game that was recalled a few weeks back because of an 'offensive' name that it tagged players who got a score of 0, well it seems that Nintendo really like the word 'spastic' and have included it in the not-so-good Wii game, Mario Party 8. As such, the game has also been recalled.
This is getting a tad out of hand, recalling games because of one word. But that's censorship for you.
Press Release:
The above game was launched in the UK today. Unfortunately we have discovered that a small number of games contain the wrong version of the disk due to an assembly error. We have therefore decided to recall all copies of the game from UK retailers so that this mistake can be corrected.
We will re-launch Mario Party 8 in the UK as soon as possible and will announce a new launch date shortly. We very much regret any inconvenience caused.
Source: http://blog.hahauk.com/2007/07/another-day-another-nintendo-recall.html
DS Mind game pulled
Ubisoft's Brain Training clone, Mind Quiz, has been pulled from the shelves of stores nationwide, as it contains a naughty word that may offend some people. Yes lets see if you notice the word in the image below.
source: http://blog.hahauk.com/2007/06/ds-brain-game-pulled.html
Saturday, 14 July 2007
G3 - Day Two
Been a busy day today with a 8:45 start at the media design school in Auckland. This was an opportunity to see students in action on a game that they developed at the end of there 32 week course in the undergraduate course in game development. Think radioactive penguins that are anti social, and the only way to kill them is with ice, and they can kill you. Also looked at development of a fps with the unreal engine, set in a 1960's diner, the detail that goes into those things is amazing. One of the end products that we looked at was a game called Goliath, this won awards from the International Gaming Association. I will be adding this to my course once I figure out how to bypass some of the schools security features, damn windows firewall.
I keep getting asked at the event if I am a graduate student or someone who is looking at getting into the gaming industry. You should see there faces when I tell them that I am secondary school teacher who is currently teaching his students game development using gamemaker. They want to know more, and I want to know more from them, what skill sets do the students need. Most people talk about needed Maths and Physics, this is going to become a shock to those students who don't like maths and drop it. They don't see the current Computer Programming courses in schools as worthwhile. This needs to be looked at, what are teachers teaching in school, what are there aims with the courses.
Back at the event at the town hall we were shown the Microsoft xbox 360 game lost odyssey again, wish I had pulled out my camera for this a little sooner, it had a great graphic of IT graduates and the lack of them being produced now. But it did give the change to take a few shows of the XNA slides, which will be posted here later. Once I open my pc, as the safari interface for blogspot is crap!
A few more presentations took place looking at Sidhe Interactive, a game development company based in wellington, founded in 1997, 70 person studio, and is one of the top 4 independent studios in Australasia.
One of the latest games that the company has developed is gripshift, developed for the PlayStation portable, now being ported to the PlayStation 3.
Collaborative Digital Projects, looking at the use of bluetooth technologies to help with there business in the nightclub industry in Auckland, people being able to use there mobile phones to interact with the music and experience, publish there own photos to the VJ screen and interact with the artists.
Social game groups, a Auckland based volunteer group to help people develop and produce games, most work is done in a collaborative environment and they meet once a week for face to face meetings, just to help with the enthusiasm for the project,
International Collaborations
Looking at how game development takes place when all of your team are around the world and in different time zones.
Second Life demonstration, this turned out to be a talk about how second life originated and the development of second life and how objects are created and distributed. No Internet connection was available for the presenter to show us. Only had trailers to show us.
Indie Game development, this was an interesting presentation, a sole game creator and the products that he creates and sells online, I didn't realize that they have there own community and followers. Seriously interesting, Have to look at incorporating pixel art into my courses. It is so cool what you can do.
I have been thinking about one of the other conferences that I went to a number of years ago. There was a presenter that was developing learning games based on the quake 3 engine. I am wondering where he has gone and what he completed as part of his research. Navcon 2004 I think was the conference in Christchurch.
I keep getting asked at the event if I am a graduate student or someone who is looking at getting into the gaming industry. You should see there faces when I tell them that I am secondary school teacher who is currently teaching his students game development using gamemaker. They want to know more, and I want to know more from them, what skill sets do the students need. Most people talk about needed Maths and Physics, this is going to become a shock to those students who don't like maths and drop it. They don't see the current Computer Programming courses in schools as worthwhile. This needs to be looked at, what are teachers teaching in school, what are there aims with the courses.
Back at the event at the town hall we were shown the Microsoft xbox 360 game lost odyssey again, wish I had pulled out my camera for this a little sooner, it had a great graphic of IT graduates and the lack of them being produced now. But it did give the change to take a few shows of the XNA slides, which will be posted here later. Once I open my pc, as the safari interface for blogspot is crap!
A few more presentations took place looking at Sidhe Interactive, a game development company based in wellington, founded in 1997, 70 person studio, and is one of the top 4 independent studios in Australasia.
One of the latest games that the company has developed is gripshift, developed for the PlayStation portable, now being ported to the PlayStation 3.
Collaborative Digital Projects, looking at the use of bluetooth technologies to help with there business in the nightclub industry in Auckland, people being able to use there mobile phones to interact with the music and experience, publish there own photos to the VJ screen and interact with the artists.
Social game groups, a Auckland based volunteer group to help people develop and produce games, most work is done in a collaborative environment and they meet once a week for face to face meetings, just to help with the enthusiasm for the project,
International Collaborations
Looking at how game development takes place when all of your team are around the world and in different time zones.
Second Life demonstration, this turned out to be a talk about how second life originated and the development of second life and how objects are created and distributed. No Internet connection was available for the presenter to show us. Only had trailers to show us.
Indie Game development, this was an interesting presentation, a sole game creator and the products that he creates and sells online, I didn't realize that they have there own community and followers. Seriously interesting, Have to look at incorporating pixel art into my courses. It is so cool what you can do.
I have been thinking about one of the other conferences that I went to a number of years ago. There was a presenter that was developing learning games based on the quake 3 engine. I am wondering where he has gone and what he completed as part of his research. Navcon 2004 I think was the conference in Christchurch.
Friday, 13 July 2007
G3 - Keynote
This will have more detail in it later,
however, I will put a note here for now
XDA Xbox Developer, if you have a xbox 360 you can get access to this.
xbox dse
http://xbox360homebrew.com/
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/xna/default.aspx homepage of xna
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb197292.aspx Connecting to Your Xbox 360 Console with XNA Game Studio Express
Possible course http://xnatutorial.info/ check back regularly
Wonder if I could get an xbox 360 for my classroom, or should I get a wii, maybe I will have to add a vote?
however, I will put a note here for now
XDA Xbox Developer, if you have a xbox 360 you can get access to this.
xbox dse
http://xbox360homebrew.com/
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/xna/default.aspx homepage of xna
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb197292.aspx Connecting to Your Xbox 360 Console with XNA Game Studio Express
Possible course http://xnatutorial.info/ check back regularly
Wonder if I could get an xbox 360 for my classroom, or should I get a wii, maybe I will have to add a vote?
G3 - More
Metia Interactive
From Graphics to game design
This company was created in 2003
Developing original IP
First Idea, The Guardian, a female maori as the main character, solving and completing various tasks in a game play.
First published idea "The Cube"
The Guardian, action adventure game
-lot of character building
-story
-technical, creating, moving, game engine.
-story line
-concept
-model
-game engine, too big for the company.
Developed a simpler game, "The Cube"
This originally started off as a idea
Developed the concept
From here, they developed the concept, developed a trailer (mockup), no prototype.
Targeted the PSP, as it had only just came out on the market.
Puzzle Game
Feedback that was given by the testers was implemented.
They had a 10 month time line from the development of the trailer, through to it being published. It took 12 months to get it out.
Cube released 30th April 2007 on the American market, yet to be released on the European and japanese market.
They have had to change the game and name of the game depending on the country it is to be released in.
More to be put in
From Graphics to game design
This company was created in 2003
Developing original IP
First Idea, The Guardian, a female maori as the main character, solving and completing various tasks in a game play.
First published idea "The Cube"
The Guardian, action adventure game
-lot of character building
-story
-technical, creating, moving, game engine.
-story line
-concept
-model
-game engine, too big for the company.
Developed a simpler game, "The Cube"
This originally started off as a idea
Developed the concept
From here, they developed the concept, developed a trailer (mockup), no prototype.
Targeted the PSP, as it had only just came out on the market.
Puzzle Game
Feedback that was given by the testers was implemented.
They had a 10 month time line from the development of the trailer, through to it being published. It took 12 months to get it out.
Cube released 30th April 2007 on the American market, yet to be released on the European and japanese market.
They have had to change the game and name of the game depending on the country it is to be released in.
More to be put in
Games, Girls and Graphics - the event
G3 Games, Girls and Graphics
Opening of the event: Mayor Dick Hubbard
Talked about Auckland city wants to encourage the creative industry and is working to upgrade broadband in the central city. Showed background information on what the want to achieve with the auckland strategy that has just been approved. As a city we want to support, support the needs, requirements of the creative industry. At the moment there is only 2-4% of Girls in the IT industry, want to see this grow. To be able to understand and foster the relationships of different digital industries. Auckland is a lifestyle city. If auckland wants to attract top creative industry they have to promote themselves as a creative city. Auckland city wants to put emphasis on event promotion and have the top events. Auckland city, creative and innovative beat.
Fresh Kiwi thinking
Overview of the New Zealand Game Industry
Mario, President of the NZGDA
There are a number of companies in New Zealand who are in Game Design, and game development, all types of game development is being created, from console, handhelds and computer games. This is a very diverse area.
There is industry support in New Zealand.
NZGDA - New Zealand Game Developers Association Multiple Game Development Courses, Massey, and Otago, Media design school in auckland. Multiple Academics Undertaking Research, games and usability, game development. Government Support, Auckland City Council in funding this event, and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Media, Amateur, Grass Roots, Interest, this is a new art form that we need to push forward to the world.
We have had early success in the game industry, We are developing new and innovative Intellectual Property (IP) Some have been
PS3 Gripshift which received 2 IGN Honors PSP Cube
PC Chocolate Castle, Darwin the Monkey, The Kitchen
Largest ever NZ Game deal signed, however the release date is yet to be confirmed.
The third year of graduates coming out of the media design school.
G3 Event, without a number of people this event would never have taken place.
There is more success to come, more games in all consoles and devices are being developed and will continue to be developed.
Opportunities
Strong creative and innovation is happening in all areas
Collaborative potential within the industry and with film/tv/music
Digital Distribution, being able to distribute through the internet without having to find publishers, games go to the market, easier, faster than ever before.
Rapidly expanding Asian markets
Increased interest form investors, they did not understand the business model before, now investment capital is happening.
Links to research capability, universities, individual, they are able to get to the heart of gaming, what it is about, usability...
Challenges
Losing currency value advantage, kiwi dollar used to be 45c, now we are looking at 80c there is starting to be some difficulty with certain markets
Lack of depth to business development experience, the industry in New Zealand is really only 10 years old.
Foreign relationships expensive to build.
Difficult scaling, more jobs than people. In the 1990’s there were 3-4 companies, in 2007 there are hundreds of companies.
The skills sets are the same for a number of industries, film, visual effects, the pool is drying up. Companies competing for the good quality graduates.
Content is key.
Technology is not an issue. Using other peoples engines(middleware) means that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
Opening of the event: Mayor Dick Hubbard
Talked about Auckland city wants to encourage the creative industry and is working to upgrade broadband in the central city. Showed background information on what the want to achieve with the auckland strategy that has just been approved. As a city we want to support, support the needs, requirements of the creative industry. At the moment there is only 2-4% of Girls in the IT industry, want to see this grow. To be able to understand and foster the relationships of different digital industries. Auckland is a lifestyle city. If auckland wants to attract top creative industry they have to promote themselves as a creative city. Auckland city wants to put emphasis on event promotion and have the top events. Auckland city, creative and innovative beat.
Fresh Kiwi thinking
Overview of the New Zealand Game Industry
Mario, President of the NZGDA
There are a number of companies in New Zealand who are in Game Design, and game development, all types of game development is being created, from console, handhelds and computer games. This is a very diverse area.
There is industry support in New Zealand.
NZGDA - New Zealand Game Developers Association Multiple Game Development Courses, Massey, and Otago, Media design school in auckland. Multiple Academics Undertaking Research, games and usability, game development. Government Support, Auckland City Council in funding this event, and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Media, Amateur, Grass Roots, Interest, this is a new art form that we need to push forward to the world.
We have had early success in the game industry, We are developing new and innovative Intellectual Property (IP) Some have been
PS3 Gripshift which received 2 IGN Honors PSP Cube
PC Chocolate Castle, Darwin the Monkey, The Kitchen
Largest ever NZ Game deal signed, however the release date is yet to be confirmed.
The third year of graduates coming out of the media design school.
G3 Event, without a number of people this event would never have taken place.
There is more success to come, more games in all consoles and devices are being developed and will continue to be developed.
Opportunities
Strong creative and innovation is happening in all areas
Collaborative potential within the industry and with film/tv/music
Digital Distribution, being able to distribute through the internet without having to find publishers, games go to the market, easier, faster than ever before.
Rapidly expanding Asian markets
Increased interest form investors, they did not understand the business model before, now investment capital is happening.
Links to research capability, universities, individual, they are able to get to the heart of gaming, what it is about, usability...
Challenges
Losing currency value advantage, kiwi dollar used to be 45c, now we are looking at 80c there is starting to be some difficulty with certain markets
Lack of depth to business development experience, the industry in New Zealand is really only 10 years old.
Foreign relationships expensive to build.
Difficult scaling, more jobs than people. In the 1990’s there were 3-4 companies, in 2007 there are hundreds of companies.
The skills sets are the same for a number of industries, film, visual effects, the pool is drying up. Companies competing for the good quality graduates.
Content is key.
Technology is not an issue. Using other peoples engines(middleware) means that we don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
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